Sanjay Leela Bhansali Reveals His Fascination With Tawaifs: 'They Understand Art Of Living...'

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, known for his opulent and dramatic storytelling, recently opened up about his fascination with tawaifs and courtesans. This revelation comes in light of his latest release, Heeramandi. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Bhansali delved into his enduring interest in these intriguing figures, which have frequently appeared in his films.

From Rani Mukerji in Saawariya to Madhuri Dixit in Devdas, Alia Bhatt in Gangubai Kathiawadi, and now the characters in Heeramandi, Bhansali has consistently portrayed courtesans and sex workers.

He explained his fascination, saying, "I feel they are women who have a lot of enigma, a lot of mystery. The courtesan, or the tawaif, or the prostitute… they are different. But they always exude a certain kind of power which I find very interesting to look at. They express their joy and grief in music and dance. They understand the art of living, the importance of architecture, the use of fabric, and the kind of jewellery they wear. They are connoisseurs of art."

Bhansali further elaborated on his artistic inspiration, stating, "Hum log kya hein? Hum log artist log hain. Usko ap samajhgir bolo, bhand bolo… jo chahe bolo. Mere ko to woh chahiye. I have to create something that is very enigmatic. As a child, all those people that would pass by… mein school mein jaata hu toh ye chehre mujhe fascinate karte he. Waha pe jo ration ki line mein jo chaar middle-class housewives khade hain woh mujhe fascinate nahi karti (Who are we? We are artists. Whatever you might call them, I still need them. When I used to go to school, I was fascinated by those faces. Those four middle-class women in the ration line do not interest me).”